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discharge

verb
- 1. tell (someone) officially that they can or must leave a place or situation.
- ▪ allow (a patient) to leave hospital because they are judged fit: "Mark was taken away in an ambulance but later discharged"
- ▪ dismiss from the armed forces or police: "his memory was impaired and he was discharged from the RAF" Similar dismissremoveejectexpeldeprive of officeget rid ofthrow outoustlet gogive someone noticelay offmake redundantcashierinformal:sackgive someone the sackfireaxesend packinggive someone the bootboot outgive someone their cardsgive someone their marching ordersgive someone the heave-hogive someone the pushgive someone the bulletshow someone the doorturf outOpposite recruitengage
- ▪ release from the custody or restraint of the law: "she was conditionally discharged for two years at Oxford Crown Court" Similar releaseliberatefreeset freelet golet outallow to leaveset/let/turn looseacquitclearabsolvepardonexoneratereprieveexculpatedeliverspareexemptemancipateinformal:let off (the hook)historical:manumitOpposite imprison
- ▪ relieve (a juror or jury) from serving in a case: "if the jury cannot agree, it should be discharged"
- 2. allow (a liquid, gas, or other substance) to flow out from where it has been confined: "industrial plants discharge highly toxic materials into rivers" Similar send outpourreleaseejectemitlet outvoidissuedispensegive offexudeexcreteoozeleakgushjetextravasateliterary:disembogueOpposite absorb
- ▪ (of an orifice or diseased tissue) emit (pus or other liquid): "the swelling will eventually break down and discharge pus"
- ▪ release or neutralize the electric charge of (an electric field, battery, or other object): "the electrostatic field that builds up on a monitor screen can be discharged"
- ▪ (of a person) fire (a gun or missile): "when you shoot you can discharge as many barrels as you wish" Similar fireshootlet offset offloose offtriggerexplodedetonate
- ▪ (of a firearm) be fired: "there was a dull thud as the gun discharged"
- ▪ unload (goods or passengers) from a ship: "the ferry was discharging passengers" Similar unloadoffloademptyunburdendisburdenremoverelievedeliverdepositput offrare:unladeOpposite load
- ▪ allow (an emotion) to be expressed: "he discharged his resentment in the harmless form of memoirs"
- 3. do all that is required to perform (a duty) or fulfil (a responsibility): "the bank had failed to discharge its supervisory duties" Similar carry outperformconductdocompleteaccomplishachievefulfilexecuteimplementdispatchbring offbring abouteffectobserveabide bystand byrare:effectuate
- ▪ pay off (a debt): "the executor must discharge the funeral expenses" Similar paypay offpay in fullsettle (up)clearhonourmeetliquidatesatisfydefraymake goodinformal:square
- ▪ release (a party) from a contract or obligation: "the insurer is discharged from liability from the day of breach" Similar releaseliberatefreeset freelet golet outallow to leaveset/let/turn looseacquitclearabsolvepardonexoneratereprieveexculpatedeliverspareexemptemancipateinformal:let off (the hook)historical:manumitOpposite imprison
- ▪ relieve (a bankrupt) of residual liability: "first-time bankrupts are discharged automatically after three years"
- 4. (of a judge or court) cancel (an order of a court): "the court may discharge a care order on the application of the child"
- ▪ cancel (a contract) because of completion or breach: "an existing mortgage to be discharged on completion"
noun
- 1. the action of discharging someone from a hospital or from the armed forces or police: "referrals can be discussed before discharge from hospital" Similar dismissalreleaseremovalejectionoustingexpulsioncongécashieringinformal:the sackfiringaxingthe axethe bootone's marching ordersthe heave-hothe pushthe bulletOpposite recruitment
- ▪ an act of releasing someone from the custody or restraint of the law: "she was given an absolute discharge after admitting breaking a smoking ban" Similar releaseliberationacquittalclearanceclearingabsolutionpardonexonerationreprieveamnestyexculpationinformal:let-offletting offhistorical:manumissionOpposite conviction
- 2. the action of discharging a liquid, gas, or other substance: "those germs might lead to vaginal discharge" Similar leakleakingemissionreleaseexudingoozingexcretionejectionemptyingvoidingvoidanceliterary:disemboguing
- ▪ a substance that has been discharged: "industrial discharge has turned the river into an open sewer" Similar emissionsecretionexcretionexudateeffusionflowoozeseepagesuppurationpusmatter
- ▪ the release of electricity from a charged object: "slow discharge of a condenser is fundamental to oscillatory circuits"
- ▪ a flow of electricity through air or other gas, especially when accompanied by emission of light: "a sizzling discharge between sky and turret"
- ▪ the action of firing a gun or missile: "a police permit for discharge of an air gun" Similar shotshootingfiringdischargingexplosiondetonationblastcrackbangpopreportburstvolleysalvofusilladebarragegunfire
- ▪ the action of unloading a ship: "freight for discharge" Similar unloadingoffloadingunburdeningdisburdeningremovalremovingrelievingemptyingdeliveringdepositrare:unladingOpposite loading
- 3. the action of doing all that is required to fulfil a responsibility or perform a duty: "directors must use skill in the discharge of their duties" Similar carrying outperformanceperformingconductdoingcompletionaccomplishmentachievementfulfilmentexecutionimplementationdispatcheffectuationobservance
- ▪ the payment of a debt: "money paid in discharge of a claim" Similar paymentrepaymentpaying (off)settlementsettling (up)clearanceclearinghonouringmeetingliquidationdefrayingmaking goodinformal:squaring
- ▪ the relief of a bankrupt from residual liability: "machinery to rehabilitate the bankrupt through the process of discharge"
- 4. the cancellation of an order of a court: "an application for discharge of a supervision order"
Word Origin Middle English (in the sense ‘relieve of an obligation’): from Old French descharger, from late Latin discarricare ‘unload’, from dis- (expressing reversal) + carricare ‘to load’ (see charge).
Derivatives
- 1. dischargeable adjective
Scrabble Points: 16
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What does it mean to be discharged from jail?
1. 2. Other forms: discharged; discharging; discharges To discharge is to fire a gun or an employee, or to set someone free from a hospital or jail. You'd probably like being discharged from jail, but not from your job, unless you really hate it. As a verb, discharge is “to release,” and as a noun, it refers to the act of or setting free.

Discharge - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

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What is a synonym for discharge?
1. a. To release, as from confinement, care, or duty: discharge a patient; discharge a soldier. b. To let go; empty out: a train discharging commuters. c. To pour forth; emit: a vent discharging steam. d. To shoot: discharge a pistol. 2. To remove from office or employment. See Synonyms at dismiss. 3.

Discharge - definition of discharge by The Free Dictionary

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What does discharge mean?
The meaning of DISCHARGE is to relieve of a charge, load, or burden. How to use discharge in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Discharge.

Discharge Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

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What does watery discharge mean?
c. Something that is discharged, released, emitted, or excreted: a watery discharge. 3. The act or an instance of removing an obligation, burden, or responsibility. 4. a. Fulfillment of the terms of something, such as a debt or promise.

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www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › dischargeDischarge Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

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Learn the various meanings and uses of the word discharge as a verb and a noun, with synonyms, examples, and word history. Find out how discharge can refer to releasing, firing, dismissing, or emitting something.
dictionary.cambridge.org › english › dischargeDISCHARGE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

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Learn the meaning of discharge as a verb and a noun in different contexts, such as allowing someone to leave, sending out a substance, performing a duty, or firing a gun. See synonyms, related words, and usage examples from the Cambridge Dictionary.
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www.dictionary.com › browse › dischargeDISCHARGE Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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to relieve oneself of (an obligation, burden, etc.). to relieve of obligation, responsibility, etc. to fulfill, perform, or execute (a duty, function, etc.). to relieve or deprive of office, employment, etc.; dismiss from service. Synonyms: remove, fire, cashier.
www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › dischargeDischarge - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › discharge
To discharge is to fire a gun or an employee, or to set someone free from a hospital or jail. You'd probably like being discharged from jail, but not from your job, unless you really hate it. As a verb, discharge is “to release,” and as a noun, it refers to the act of or setting free.
www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definitiondischarge verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and ...

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[transitive] discharge something to do everything that is necessary to perform and complete a particular duty. to discharge your duties/responsibilities/obligations; to discharge a debt (= to pay it)
www.thefreedictionary.com › dischargeDischarge - definition of discharge by The Free Dictionary

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Discharge can mean to release, remove, or unload something or someone, or to perform or fulfill a duty or obligation. It can also refer to a fluid, emission, or electric current. See different meanings and usage of discharge in various contexts.
www.ldoceonline.com › dictionary › dischargedischarge | meaning of discharge in Longman Dictionary of ...

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Learn the meaning of discharge as a verb and a noun in different contexts, such as hospital, army, electricity, wound, and shooting. See sentences from the corpus and related topics.